Алая буква
The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter
Dimmesdaleturnedtothedignifiedandvenerablerulers;totheholyministers,whowerehisbrethren;tothepeople,whosegreatheartwasthoroughlyappalledyetoverflowingwithtearfulsympathy,asknowingthatsomedeeplife-matter—which,iffullofsin,wasfullofanguishandrepentancelikewise—wasnowtobelaidopentothem.Thesun,butlittlepastitsmeridian,shonedownupontheclergyman,andgaveadistinctnesstohisfigure,ashestoodoutfromalltheearth,toputinhispleaofguiltyatthebarofEternalJustice.
"PeopleofNewEngland!"criedhe,withavoicethatroseoverthem,high,solemn,andmajestic—yethadalwaysatremorthroughit,andsometimesashriek,strugglingupoutofafathomlessdepthofremorseandwoe—"ye,thathavelovedme!—ye,thathavedeemedmeholy!—beholdmehere,theonesinneroftheworld!Atlast—atlast!—Istanduponthespotwhere,sevenyearssince,Ishouldhavestood,here,withthiswoman,whosearm,morethanthelittlestrengthwherewithIhavecrepthitherward,sustainsmeatthisdreadfulmoment,fromgrovellingdownuponmyface!Lo,thescarletletterwhichHesterwears!Yehaveallshudderedatit!Whereverherwalkhathbeen—wherever,somiserablyburdened,shemayhavehopedtofindrepose—ithathcastaluridgleamofaweandhorriblerepugnanceroundabouther.Buttherestoodoneinthemidstofyou,atwhosebrandofsinandinfamyyehavenotshuddered!"
Itseemed,atthispoint,asiftheministermustleavetheremainderofhissecretundisclosed.
